JP3008537B2 - Data processing device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an interactive data processing apparatus such as a workstation or a personal computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an interactive system performs data processing by a dialog between a user and the system. The user instructs the system to perform processing, and the system responds to the result on a display screen. Is displayed, and the process is repeated. At this time,
As a result of performing a specific operation on one of the components on the display screen, a visual effect can be obtained by changing the display content and display form of the other components.

In order to obtain such an effect, conventionally, measures have been taken by using a mechanism typified by an MVC (model view controller) of Smalltalk-80.

The MVC mechanism of Smalltalk-80 is described in Akihiro Uetani, "Integrated Programming Environment-Sm
alltalk-80 and Interlisp-D- "(p. 184 to p. 20)
5), Maruzen Co., Ltd., published on January 30, 1987, is described in detail.

However, the MVC described in that document
In the mechanism, when the state of a certain component changes, the action for another element must be described in its own definition part, so even if the functions of the components themselves are exactly the same, However, when the actions for other elements were different, new components had to be redefined.

[0006]

As described above, in the documents described in the above-mentioned documents, the definition part of a certain component includes:
In addition to the definition of the element itself, the action definition for other components is also described, so even if the function of the component itself is exactly the same, if the action for the other component is different Must define the components (elements that describe the content of self definition and the content of the action related to other elements) according to the number of actions to be defined, and therefore use existing components. That was impossible.

Therefore, when the functions of the components themselves are the same and the actions for the other components are different, the definition of the components is troublesome and troublesome.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and is a data processing apparatus capable of reusing an existing component and easily defining and changing an action for another component. It is intended to provide a device.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data processing apparatus having display means for displaying a plurality of constituent elements constituting a display content. The content of a specific processing operation for the component itself is defined, and each of the plurality of components indicates the definition content and the latest status of the component itself and the latest status of other components. Based on the information, the component definition means to be displayed on the display means, and the content of the processing operation to be executed in accordance with the states of the plurality of components independently of the definition contents in the component definition means Action defining means for executing the definition contents based on information indicating the latest state of the plurality of constituent elements and the definition contents defined therein; and The information indicating the current state of the components that particular processing operation is carried out, characterized in that it comprises an information notifying means for notifying to said component defining means and the action definition means. Further, in a second aspect based on the first aspect, the component definition means is constituted by a plurality of component definition means corresponding to the plurality of components, and the plurality of component definition means is provided by the identification means. Definition means for defining the content of the processing operation of the, and holding means for holding information indicating the latest state of the corresponding component,
Based on the held contents held in the holding means, the definition contents defined in the defining means, and information indicating the latest state of the component on which the specific processing operation has been performed from the information notifying means. And display processing means for displaying the corresponding components on the display means.

[0010]

In the data processing apparatus according to the present invention, the desired component is displayed based on the definition of the desired component and information indicating the latest status and information indicating the latest status of other components. I am trying to do it. For this reason, it is possible to display a desired component itself in a content that takes into account the status of the component itself and the status of other components. In addition, existing components can be reused.
Further, in the data processing device according to the present invention, the definition is defined based on the definition contents defined in the action definition means and information indicating the latest state of the plurality of components independently of the definition contents in the component definition means. I am trying to execute the content. Therefore, without changing the content of a specific processing operation for each of a plurality of components, only the content of the processing operation is easily described (defined) or changed (to be executed according to the states of the plurality of components). Redefinition).

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing one embodiment of a data processing device according to the present invention. In the figure, the data processing device includes a component definition unit 101
, Action definition means 102, and information holding unit 103
A component display unit 104 for displaying a plurality of components constituting display content, a user input unit 105 for instructing each element displayed on the component display unit 104 (a request to change the state of the element), The control unit 106 controls the above units and performs a predetermined process.

The information holding unit 103 includes the component definition unit 1
It holds information indicating each component defined in “01” and its state. The information holding unit 103 updates its own information based on the status change notification from the component definition unit 101 and notifies the component definition unit 101 and the action definition that the status of a certain component has changed. Notify the means 102. In this embodiment, the information indicating each component is used to manage the state of each component, and the information is, for example, the name of the component.

The component definition means 101 includes, for each of a plurality of components constituting the display content, an element which does not affect other elements, such as a function relating to the element itself and an interdependency with other components. Is described. The component definition means 101 holds the internal information of the component for each component (for example, information on its own state, mutual relation, etc.), and the internal information of the component whose state has changed in response to the change request. And the information holding unit 103
Notify to In addition, for each component, a process of displaying the component on the component display unit 104 based on the definition of the component itself is performed, and the configuration of the component is determined based on its own internal information and the notification content from the information storage unit 103. A display process is performed to redisplay.

The action definition means 102 describes a definition related to an action for another component.
When the action definition unit 102 receives a notification (a change in the state of a certain component) from the information storage unit 103, the action definition unit 102 stores the information held by the information storage unit 103 (when the state of a certain component changes). Updated latest retention information)
If the information (that is, the state of each component) satisfies the definition content described therein, the definition content (action) is executed.

In this embodiment, the component definition means 101, the action definition means 102, and the information holding unit 10
3 is realized by the control unit 106 executing a program (software) for performing each function. Note that a firmware configuration or a hardware configuration is also possible.

Next, a basic processing operation of the data processing device in the above-described configuration will be described. First, the control unit 10
6 interprets an input from the user input unit 105 (operation for changing the state of a certain component), and notifies each component defined in the component definition unit 101 that there is an instruction for the certain component. Of the relevant components. In the component definition unit 101, the notified component includes its own internal information (for example, its own status,
(Information such as mutual relations), and notifies the information holding unit 103 of the updated contents. The contents of this notification are
06 to the information holding unit 103.

The information holding unit 103 reflects the transmitted update contents on the information contents of the corresponding constituent element among the constituent elements held by the information holding unit 103, and notifies that the state of a certain constituent element has changed. , All the components defined in the component definition means 101 and the action definition means 102 are notified. The contents of this notification are notified to the definition means 101 and 102 via the control unit 106.

Each of the components notified of the change is redisplayed to the component display unit 104 via the control unit 106 in accordance with the internal state of the component and the contents held in the information holding unit 103. On the other hand, the action definition means 102
Executes the definition of the action defined for itself according to the state of each component.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a workstation for realizing the apparatus shown in FIG. In the figure, the workstation includes a display device 201 such as a bitmap display, a data input device 202 such as a keyboard, a mouse 203 as a pointing input device, a main storage device 204, a control device 205, a magnetic disk and the like. And an auxiliary storage device 206.

Here, the component definition means 1 shown in FIG.
01, the action definition unit 102, and the information storage unit 103 are stored in the main storage device 203 in the component display unit 10 shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 4 denotes a display unit 201 which is provided with the user input unit 10 shown in FIG.
5 corresponds to the mouse 203, and the control unit 106 shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 shows the flow of control of the display processing by the workstation described above.

In this figure, component definition means 101
Are buttons 1 to 3 having two states, on (on) and off (off), as constituent elements constituting display contents.
Are defined as a button 1 definition unit 101A,
It is defined in the button 2 definition unit 101B and the button 3 definition unit 101C. In each of the button definition sections, for example, the button 2 definition section 101B indicates that the button 2 cannot be turned on at the same time as the button 1 or the button 3 definition section 101C indicates that the button 3 is independent of the state of the other buttons. Interdependencies, such as having your own state, are defined.

Each of the above-mentioned button definition units turns on a component based on internal information of the component defined within itself.
A state or an off state is displayed on the component display unit 104.

In the action definition means 102, "when at least one of the three buttons is in the on state, all buttons are displayed in a normal display" and "when all the buttons are in the off state, And an area including all the buttons (for example, a figure indicating a button (in this embodiment, a figure of “○”) and its name (buttons 1 to 3 in this embodiment) are displayed in a blurred state). Is defined.

In the information holding unit 103, the names of three buttons, ie, buttons 1 to 3 indicating the names of the constituent elements are registered, and the state of the corresponding button (on /
off state) is maintained. In the initial state, information indicating an off state is held for each button.

On the display device 201, in the initial state, the above three buttons are displayed in a state where the area including all the buttons is blurred. The displayed buttons are mouse 2
The pointer (cursor) that moves in accordance with the movement of the mouse 03 is moved to the display area, and the mouse button provided on the mouse 203 is clicked to turn on and off.
f can be switched. Here, when the button in the on state is clicked, the button is turned off, and the button is turned off.
When the button in the f state is clicked, the button changes to the on state.

Next, the display processing operation by the above-described workstation will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 4A shows an initial state displayed on the component display unit 104, and FIG. 4B shows a display state when the button 1 is turned on.

In this embodiment, the button is represented by a figure of “○”, and its on / off state is represented by a form in which a figure of “●” is inserted in the figure of “」 ”if it is in the on state. On the other hand, if it is in the off state, it is expressed in the form as it is in the figure “○”.

First, as shown in FIG.
When the user clicks the mouse button (control line 301) with the pointer placed on the display area of button 1 in the state, control unit 205 recognizes that button 1 has been instructed, and configures that effect. The button 1 definition unit 101A of the element definition unit 101 is notified.

The button 1 definition unit 101A changes its current state (internal state). In this example, it changes from off to on.
To notify the information holding unit 204 that the user has been turned on (control line 302).

Then, the information holding unit 204 holds the currently held information, that is, the button 1 is in the off state, the button 2
Is the off state, and the button 3 changes the state of the button 1 from off to on in the information indicating the off state, and the component definition means 101 defines that the button 1 has changed to the on state. Each component is notified (control line 304). At the same time, action definition means 1
02 is also notified that the button 1 has changed to the on state.

The component definition means 101 having received the notification
Each of the button definition units within the display unit displays itself on the display device 201 based on the mutual dependency described above and the information held in the information holding unit 103 (control line 30).
5).

In this case, the button 1 definition unit 101A changes the button 1 to the on state and displays it on the component display unit 103, while the button 2 definition unit 101B and the button 3 definition unit 101C execute the button 2 and the button 3 Will be displayed on the component display unit 103 without changing the state.

On the other hand, when the action definition means 102 receives the notification from the information holding unit 103 that there is a change, the latest held information (the button 1 is in the on state, the button 2 is in the off state, With reference to the button 3 in the off state, it is checked whether or not the held information satisfies the definition content described therein. If satisfied, execute the definition.

In this case, since the button 1 is in the on state and the buttons 2 and 3 are in the off state, the action definition means 102 executes the definition contents described in itself (one of the buttons in the on state). When there is, the definition that all buttons are displayed normally) is executed. Thereby, the button 1 in the on state, the buttons 2 and 3 in the off state,
Are changed from the haze display to the normal display and are displayed again (control line 306). That is, FIG.
The display state shown in FIG. 4A is changed to the display state shown in FIG.

Similarly, when the user clicks the mouse button with the pointer placed on the button 1 in the on state in the display state shown in FIG. 4B, the button 1 is turned off this time. It reappears in the state, but button 2
And 3 remain in the off state. At this time, all the buttons are in the off state. Therefore, the action defining unit 102 sets the button 1 according to the definition that “when all the buttons are in the off state, the area including all the buttons is blurred”. 3 are displayed again in a hazy state. That is, the display state shown in FIG. 4B is changed to the display state shown in FIG.

Here, when all the buttons are in the off state, for example, when it is desired to display an area including all the buttons in black and white inverted, the definition content defined in the action definition means 102 is changed to "all When the buttons are in the off state, the area including all the buttons is displayed in a black-and-white inverted state. "

However, conventionally, when it is desired to change the display method, the definition of the action described in each button definition section must be changed to the above-mentioned change.

In the above embodiment, the component is a button, but the present invention can be applied to the following cases.

For example, in setting an attribute using a property sheet or the like as a constituent element, when the “register” command is executed, the user is careful not only to change data corresponding to each item but also to omit entry. You may want to encourage

The "registration" command is given by giving a list of a pair of an item name and a value corresponding to the item name as an argument, and does not assume that a window system exists. Therefore, in a window system, for example, a registration command may be issued when a certain button (for example, a button corresponding to a registration command) in a property sheet is instructed. The registration command may be issued when the key indicating the effect is pressed.

Normally, the means for calling the user's attention is different between the window system and the character display. FIG. 5 shows the transition of the display state on the window system, and FIG. 6 shows the transition of the display state on the character display. In each case, No, Name, Address
When all the information regarding the information is input and the operation to register is performed, the content is registered.

On the window system, as shown in FIG. 5, the contents of the property sheet 502 in which the "Address" field 501 is not entered are accepted.
When the button 503 is instructed (clicked), a “register” command is executed, whereby the display content 504 changes to the display content 505. In the display content 505, the “registration” command is executed in a state where there is an unfilled item, so that a message is displayed on the window 506 (or a new warning window).

On the other hand, on the character display, as shown in FIG. 6, when a key indicating that registration is to be performed is pressed in the state of the content 601 in which information on Address is not entered, for example, the “registration” is displayed. Command is executed, whereby the display content 602 changes to the display content 603. In this case, the content 601 in which an unfilled item exists
In this state, the “registration” command is executed.
04 is simply displayed as a character string.

As described above, in order for the “registration” command to be usable in any environment in advance, the definition for calling the user's attention (action) is described separately from the definition corresponding to the “registration” command. There is a need to. Therefore, as in the present invention, “register”
By describing the definition corresponding to the command and the definition relating to the display method of the warning in the action definition means 102 on the other hand, when operating in another environment, only the definition contents in the action definition means 102 are changed. Only needs to be done. Further, since the definition contents of the action definition means 102 can be shared with respect to the registration of each property sheet, even when the display method of the message is changed over the entire system, only the definition contents in the action definition means 102 are changed. Only needs to be done.

Further, for example, if the above-described property sheet is considered as a window, the window is subjected to the above-described processing using the above-described property sheet as an example. Further, a menu can be used as a component.

It should be noted that, in addition to the above-described example, the present invention is also applicable to a case where when a combination of certain states of a certain component group occurs, an action which is not directly related to the function of those components is desired to be generated. Can also be applied.

For example, in the case of simulating the situation of a road intersection, the rule that "the car moves when the traffic light turns green and the car stops when the traffic light turns red" is created by a human. The traffic light operates with or without such rules.

Therefore, when a simulation is performed, if the operation (action) of a car when the state of a traffic light changes is described in the definition part of the component expressing the traffic light as in the related art, the traffic rules will be changed. If it changes, it is necessary to redefine the components that represent the traffic light. However, as in the present invention, the function of the traffic light is defined by the component defining means 1.
01, the definition of the operation of the car is described in the action definition means 102, respectively, so that even if the traffic rules change (for example, the car moves when the traffic light turns red,
Even if it changes to a traffic rule such as "the car stops when it turns blue", it is only necessary to change the definition of the action definition means 102.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the definition of the component itself and the action for the other component (the part relating to the function not directly related to the component itself) are stored in independent areas. Since it is described separately, existing components can be easily reused. At the same time, it is easy to define and change the action to be performed when a certain combination of states of the component group occurs.

[0052]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The target component is re-displayed based on the definition of the desired component and the information indicating the latest status of the component and the information indicating the latest status of the other components. Is configured to execute the definition contents independently based on the definition contents defined in the action definition means and the information indicating the latest state of a plurality of constituent elements. Can be displayed in consideration of the state of the other components and the status of other components, and the existing components can be reused, and the content of a specific processing operation for each of a plurality of components can be changed. Instead, it is possible to easily describe (define) or change (redefine) only the contents of the processing operation to be executed according to the states of the plurality of components.

Therefore, the user can easily create and edit each component constituting the display content.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of a data processing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a workstation for realizing the apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a control flow in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display state of a button as a component.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a transition of a display state of another component.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a transition of a display state of another component.

[Explanation of symbols]

101: component definition means, 102: action definition means, 103: information holding unit, 104: component display unit, 105
.., A user input unit, 106, a control unit, 201, a display device, 202, a keyboard, 203, a mouse, 204, a main storage device, 205, a control device, 206, an auxiliary storage device.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-3-91026 (JP, A) Information Processing Society of Japan 35th (late 1987) National Conference Lecture Papers, p. 813-814. Information Processing Society of Japan 42nd (Early 1991) National Convention Lecture Papers, p. 5-33 to 5-34. ASCII, Vol. 14, No. 3 (March 1990), ASCII Corporation, p. 313-320 (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 9/44 G06F 9/06 G06F 3/14 G06F 3/00 CSDB (Japan Patent Office)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A data processing apparatus having a display means for displaying a plurality of constituent elements constituting display contents, wherein a content of a specific processing operation on the constituent element itself is defined for each of the plurality of constituent elements, A component definition unit that causes each of the plurality of components to be displayed on the display unit based on information indicating the definition and the latest status of the component itself and information indicating the latest status of the other components. Independently of the definition contents in the component definition means, the content of the processing operation is defined to be executed according to the status of the plurality of components, and information indicating the latest status of the plurality of components. Action definition means for executing the definition contents based on the definition contents defined in the self and the latest definition contents for the component on which the specific processing operation is performed. A data processing apparatus comprising: an information notification unit that notifies information indicating a state to the component definition unit and the action definition unit. 2. The component definition means comprises a plurality of component definition means corresponding to the plurality of components, wherein the plurality of component definition means define the contents of the specific processing operation. Definition means; holding means for holding information indicating the latest state of the corresponding component; holding content held by the holding means; definition content defined by the definition means; and the information notification means 2. A display processing unit for displaying a corresponding component on the display unit based on information indicating the latest state of a component on which a specific processing operation has been performed. Data processing equipment.